Virtualization is the default infrastructure in datacenters these days. Storage systems, being the essential part of a virtualized environment, are keeping up the pace by evolving to hyperconverged infrastructure. Nevertheless, hyperconverged and converged infrastructure designs do coexist since they are not mutually exclusive concepts and solve slightly different tasks. In situations where you need to grow compute and storage resources separately — Converged Infrastructure is the way to go.
Usually, organizations need to add compute and storage resources separately since they often have a converged data center. Hyperconverged infrastructure doesn’t make achieving that easy. Scaling hyperconverged clusters means upgrading compute and storage hardware parameters both simultaneously. Let’s clarify that. Virtualized environments assume expansions in multiple dimensions:
In hyperconverged systems, each host is running compute and storage layers on the same hardware at the same time. Consequently, increasing one dimension assumes increasing the other one as well, and the problem here is that increasing the second dimension may not be required. As a result, the money is spent on hardware resources that are not used appropriately.
Separation of data and compute isn't the enemy, with the right software. StarWind supports both hyperconverged and converged infrastructures. By resorting to separation of storage and compute, it is possible to scale compute and storage resources independently, with different leverages, regardless of each other. This way, the system better fits the task while expenses are substantially decreased since there is no need to purchase hardware that will be essentially wasted. Thus, a system can be created specifically for a particular task.
When using StarWind in converged infrastructure where clusters are running out of compute power, all that is needed is to add more RAM to the hypervisor node or add a new node to the cluster, while the storage capacity and performance may remain the same. Likewise, if the system will be running out of storage IOPS or TBs, that dimension can be upgraded easily without affecting the compute power by adding a storage node. Thereby, StarWind also provides the benefits of converged infrastructure.
StarWind can run as Software-Defined Storage (StarWind VSAN) on top of existing hardware or as ready nodes (StarWind Storage Appliance) injected into the environment. Running StarWind as the storage layer separately from the compute layer allows to significantly decrease CapEx and OpEx by allowing only those hardware resources to be installed into the storage infrastructure that are definitely needed. Also, this scenario makes system hardware fit the task better by way of allowing to manage compute and storage resources by pulling different leverages..
StarWind included as Niche Player for the fourth consecutive time in 2021 Magic Quadrant™ for HCI Software
We are satisfied with StarWind. The support is really fantastic. Whenever any issue arises, the response is very prompt, and solution is immediate.
We were able to build 2-node storage clusters based on virtualization in 19 hypermarkets without any problems and with high cost-efficiency.
By being able to virtualize our environment with StarWind, we were able to retire some old hardware, get our services highly available, reduce power consumption and heat in our server closet.
StarWind got us off the clustered environment, which was a big help. So, I could regain control of my storage and reclaim and redistribute the space we desperately needed.
Price + Simplicity. StarWind vSAN offers great pricing and allows us to get work done without expensive custom hardware. It also makes getting back online quick and easy after an outage or hardware failure.
We chose StarWind Mainly because of the cost compared to other vendors. Simplicity of setup was also a major factor and I like the fact that you don’t need a vendor certified engineer to perform the installation.
Because of recommendations of older colleagues, with StarWind, we got a reliable storage with no additional hardware. There was a need to increase IT infrastructure performance and we saw StarWind as the most cost-effective solution.
StarWind is the best storage product I have ever used! It satisfies and exceeds requirements.
Our products are now available at flexible subscription payments simply as part of your OpEx.